Meghan Markle 'Secretly' Visits Grenfell Survivors

Why Meghan Markle Has Been Secretly Visiting Grenfell Fire Survivors

Meghan Markle has been making secret visits to survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire, according to reports.

The tower is in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where she and Prince Harry will live after their wedding on 19th May at Windsor Castle.

The US former actor and activist is said to have made two separate trips to the Al Manaar community mosque, which was one of the first places to support victims with shelter, food, water and counselling, in the aftermath of the fire that killed 71 people and devastated the nation last June 14.

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Markle's fiancé did not accompany her on the visits, though a royal protection officer and one of Harry's aides is reported to have travelled with her.

A member of the Grenfell community told the Mirror that Markle's visits "mean so much" to the locals and that the soon-to-be royal "has a special place in [their] hearts”.

Her intention with the visits, which did not take place in front of any media or paparazzi, is apparently to familiarise herself with charity work, which is soon to become an even bigger part of her life, as it was for Princess Diana.

"Ms Markle has regularly been making private visits to organisations as she gets to know the charity sector,” a royal source told the Mirror.

In September, Harry and Prince William visited survivors at the same mosque, which their father opened in 2001. The Queen and the Duke of Cambridge also paid a visit to the Westway Sports Centre to meet with survivors and volunteers soon after the disaster.

Kensington and Chelsea council was roundly lambasted for its response to the devastating fire and continues to face criticism for its insufficient treatment of victims. On a national scale, just three of the 160 social housing towers flagged as similarly dangerous have been reclad with safer materials, the Guardian reported last month, and the public inquiry into how the disaster happened is ongoing.